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Rocky
Baseball Rides "Donkey"
Two-sport star George
sparks glossy 10-1 start
Clayton George has been saddled with
a pet name since his sophomore season of baseball.
However, the Rock Island two-sport
star's diamond nickname has never seemed more appropriate than this season.
``We call him the `Big Old Donkey,' and we say it with the greatest affection,'' Rocks
coach Andy Campbell said. ``He's a horse out there, only bigger. And, we just hop on his
back and he never gets tired.''
Already, the 6-foot-6, 265-pounder is 3-0 as a pitcher with a 1.11 earned-run average in
four starts.
This week's Metro Pacesetter from The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus is also hitting
at a .430 clip, with a homer and 9 RBIs in 23 plate-appearances.
No wonder the Rocks are 10-1.
``He does it all for us, on and off the mound,'' Campbell said about George, who is signed
to play football and baseball starting this fall at Eastern Illinois University.
``And when he's not pitching or hitting, he's watching the game and picking up things and
sharing it with his teammates or coaches. He also works with his younger teammates Ï like
Chase Stephens and Grant Snyder Ï which is great for a coach to see.''
Last week, George had a homer and 4 RBIs in a 3-for-3 plate performance in a win over
Sherrard.
George also had a 5-hit, 7-strikeout shutout on the mound against Ottawa. That marked half
the hits he's allowed in 19 innings this season.
George has surrendered 3 earned-runs and six walks while fanning 24 (5 looking). The one
game he didn't get the decision, George was pulled after four scoreless, hitless innings.
``It helped a lot having a pitching coach in the same house when I was growing up,''
George said about his father Jeff, Rocky's pitching coach and the former head man at
United Township.
``My dad helped me get to where I am now, pushing me and pumping me up when I needed it
and teaching me the game. I started pitching when I was 7 years-old.''
A good baseball man, Jeff George refrained from teaching his son a curveball until
Clayton's freshman year in high school.
Even though it was a tough adjustment at the time, Clayton said, he credits that move,
among others, for his arm strength.
Clayton throws four pitches Ï the fastball, curveball, changeup and split-finger Ï but
the old heater remains his out pitch.
``Dad instilled a lot of good lessons,'' the younger George said. ``He also instilled a
love of the game in me.''
That love will lead him to the unusual pairing of playing football and baseball at EIU.
George will try an even bigger rarity Ï splitting time between the pitching mound and the
football trenches as a lineman.
``Clayton's future is whatever Clayton wants to do,'' Campbell said. ``In the weight room,
he's got the frame to become just an absolute giant as a lineman in football. Or, he's got
a lot of upside as a pitcher.
``The thing is, eventually, he's going to have to chose. The lifts and moves he'll be
asked to do as a lineman I don't know if they'll blend with the flexibility and looseness
he'll need to continue to be a Division I pitcher.''
So far, so good, though, George said.
``I lift a lot now,'' said the three-year baseball starter. `` I just make sure I stay
loose for baseball by doing a lot of stretching before and after.
``It's going to be tough at EIU, but I've been told I can do it if I stay focused on what
I want to do. I love both sports and that's what I want to do. Other guys do it, so I know
I can, too.''
George added basketball to his athletic reportoire this year, playing competitive hoops
for the first time since sixth grade, though he barely got off the bench.
``That was so much fun,'' said George. ``I wish now I'd done it all four years of high
school. And, it helped me with my agility, flexibility, stamina and conditioning for
baseball.''
Campbell certainly has noticed the difference.
``He's even more dominating this year,'' said the Rocks coach, who got a 3-1 record and
1.77 ERA from George in Big 6 action last season. George also hit .400 with a homer and a
team-leading 12 RBIs.
``He just has that little something extra this season. I think signing early eased his
mind, and has allowed him to just go out and perform and not worry what scouts are
there.''
Campbell said George also could develop into a good Division I hitter if he focused on
that, though that's not why he was recruited to EIU.
Certainly, George is the consumate designated hitter.
While some don't like being a DH because they feel disconnected by not playing the field
Ï and more pressure waiting for their at-bats Ï George enjoys the experience.
George applies his mound work to his time at the plate, carefully studying the opposing
pitcher and his habits.
``It's fun to get in the other guy's head and break him down,'' George said.
George likes pitching the best, though.
``I like to make hitters look stupid,'' he said. ``I like to get out there and blow them
away. I like being in charge and having a game in my hands.''
He also doesn't mind having an entire team on his back.
Favorite food: Pepperoni pizza.
Favorite TV show: The Simpson's.
Favorite movie: Top Gun.
Favorite book: Friday Night Lights.
Favorite childhood toy: He-Man sword.
Favorite school subject: American history.
Favorite college: Eastern Illinois.
Favorite athlete: Sammy Sosa.
Role model: My dad.
Hobbies: Like to draw and listen to rap and rock music.
Person I'd most like to pitch
against: Babe Ruth.
Parents: Jeff and Tammie George, Rock Island.
In the running
Amy Roller, Moline: The previous
Pacesetter scored both goals in an historic 2-0 girls soccer victory at Quincy. The loss
was the first in 31 Western Big 6 games by Quincy, which had outscored league foes 158-11
since 1994.
Dillon Smith, Rock Island:
Another previous Pacesetter, was one of just two competitors to figure in three A flight
winners at the Kiwanis Boys Track Invitational. Smith took the 400, plus ran on the
victorious 400 and 1600 relay teams as the Rocks won their 9th straight Kiwanis meet.
James Hood, UT: Coach's nominee
won the long jump, triple jump and ran on the winning 800 relay team at the Kiwanis Boys
Track Invitational. Won the long jump with a leap of 22-2.25 feet -- 2.25 inches over the
state qualifying distance.
Monica Rumler, Moline: Another
coach's nominee, the Moline softballer went 10-for-12 at the plate in three games last
week. Had 2 RBIs and 2 steals in one of those games, a victory over Geneseo.
Zach Berkman and Afrin Khaiser, RI:
Won the No. 2 doubles team championship at the Peoria Richwoods Boys Tennis Invite.
Jill Steffens, Moline: The
previous Pacesetter was the only local girl capturing two events at the Homewood-Flossmoor
Track Invitational.
Copyright 2002, Moline
Dispatch Publishing Co. |
